Welcome to this edition of the ProjectTalk newsletter.
Making productive use of our time is essential for project success. In addition, we must think long term. However, there are unavoidable long term aspects of managing a project that, if not properly managed, can consume an inordinate amount of our time while producing few if any measurable results. I call them “productivity parasites” and our long term thought process must not underestimate their impact.
This issue will focus on three of those. Project Delivery, Project Politics and Project Meetings.
We’ve all had experiences with all three and at the time wished we were aware of more guidelines on handling the challenges involved. Keep these tips in mind the next time those challenges arise.
Deliver your Projects Faster
As a Project Manager, you will always be under pressure to deliver your project faster than people expect. It's a tough challenge, but by using the tips and tricks listed below you can deliver your project before the deadline and reduce your stress along the way...
Here are 5 tips for delivering projects faster...
Tip 1: Find Shortcuts in your Plan
Project Managers usually spend 80% of their time executing and 20% planning. The reason is that the Execution phase is where the excitement is, so they roll their sleeves up and get started executing as quickly as possible.
But if you spend extra time in the Planning phase, then you can usually identify shortcuts which enable you to produce the same project outcome in less time.
So when you think your project plan is complete, take extra time to re-look at your plan from the point of view of delivering it faster. By doing this, you'll find that you can schedule things to be done in a way that takes less time, with less effort.
Tip 2: Automate Manual Tasks.
You need to automate your manual daily tasks to help you do things faster. Here are some of the manual tasks that many Project Managers do each week that could be automated using project software:
- Summarizing data for your Weekly Status Reports
- Collating Timesheets and Expense Forms
- Updating your Project Plan with timesheet data
- Working out whether the project is on track
- Reporting on risks, changes and issues.
You don't need to perform these tasks manually. You can invest in project software to do all this for you. Your team will enter the data you need and the software will group and summarize it all for you. All you need to do is run reports and view the current status of your plan to ensure it remains on track.
Tip 3: Manage Execution Carefully.
When your project gets underway, manage your project against the plan vigilantly. It's easy for the plan to sit on the shelf, and for the team to go in their own direction.
Instead, you need to lead the team by making sure they complete only those tasks which have been planned, and not other tasks which have cropped up along the way. So manage the project execution carefully. You can also save time in the Execution phase by:
- Working your suppliers and contractors hard
- Mitigating risks and issues before they affect the timeframe
- Saving all non-critical tasks until after the project is complete
- Not allowing unplanned tasks to be completed, unless critical
- Not implementing change requests, unless they are critical.
Tip 4: Double up on Resources.
Usually, the easiest way to shorten the length of the project is to assign more resources to it. However, this isn't possible for many projects because they have a limited budget and a limited pool of resource.
But that's not to say that you can't double up on resources for the right tasks. It just means that if you do this, then other tasks will be under-resourced. So why would you do this?
In most projects there are tasks on the “critical path” that must be completed to deliver the project. If you assign more resources to these tasks than are necessary, you can usually complete them earlier than expected. And it makes sense that if every critical path task is completed faster, then the entire project will be delivered quicker than expected.
Tips 5: Get the Critical Tasks done first.
In many projects the last 20% of tasks, take 50% of the length of the project. This is because the team have left the difficult tasks until the end, which happens to be when they are tired and need a holiday!
Instead, identify the tasks in your plan which are the most complex and challenging to complete. And if possible, tackle those tasks at the start of the project, when people are fresh and enthusiastic.
You'll find that they can complete those tasks in less time and to a higher standard of quality than if they were left until the end of the project. And with those difficult tasks completed, the rest of the project should be easier to deliver.
So there you are, 5 top tips for delivering projects faster. As a Project Manager, you will always be under pressure to deliver your project faster than people expect.
How to Manage Project Politics
Remember: Keep your personal thoughts and preferences to yourself and out of organizational politics. Becoming involved in that respect at any level is a no win scenario for you and your project.
Every project has its fair share of politics. And as a Project Manager it's your job to cut through it to make sure that your project stays on track and delivers the outcome expected. But it's no easy job.
What happens when your Project Sponsor wants a slightly different outcome for the project than your Customer, Management Team and other Stakeholders want? The answer is that each party tries to influence the project to get what they want-and this is known as "Project Politics".
The result is that the team are constantly pushed in different directions, trying to keep everyone happy, but not really doing what they were originally tasked to do which was to deliver a single outcome for the project.
In this scenario, the project team becomes stressed, confused, de-motivated and inefficient. So it's your job as a Project Manager to ensure this doesn't happen. Here's how to prevent it.
Step 1: Create a Project Board
The most critical but challenging step is to get everyone to agree to the same project scope and objectives. The easiest way to do this is to form a Project Board and include your Sponsor, Customer and other people that may influence the project at some point. The purpose of the board is to control the scope of the project and make sure that specific targets are set and achieved.
By forming a Project Board, you can let them thrash out the politics themselves and come to a consensus. You then have only one party to manage and if they want to divert the project onto other tasks, at least you have their combined approval. If you include all of the “influencers” within the Board, you can task them with giving you a single, consistent vision. That way, there is no confusion as to what must be done to deliver the project and people are not pulled in different directions all of the time. You can also keep the Project Board focused by using a project methodology.
Step 2: Build Relationships
Just because you have a board, doesn't mean there are no politics. It just makes it easier to manage. As a Project Manager, you still need to reduce the politics within the board by building close relationships with each board member. Find out what they need, by when and why. This will help you steer them in the right direction when they meet as a group.
Build close relationships by meeting each board member regularly to find out what they need from the project and why they need it.
By listening to their needs, you're securing their buy-in and you may be able to save heated board meetings by presenting them with solutions instead of problems.
Step 3: Manage Change
The biggest risk to a project is that the goal posts move, causing continuous change to the project scope. This is a breeding ground for project politics, because every stakeholder will have their own wants and needs to be met—and they may not all be consistent with one another.
So you need to manage change carefully by putting in place a formal process for managing it. Your change process should involve documenting each Change Request, why it's needed and the impact to the project in implementing it. The Change Request should then be presented to the Project Board for review and approval. You need to make sure that when it's approved the board also approve the extra time, money and people needed to implement it.
By creating a Project Board and forming close relationships with each board member, you'll cut through politics to ensure your project success. You can then control changes to the project so that you can achieve success.
To ensure that your Board knows what is going to be delivered and by when, implement a methodology for projects. A methodology will help you manage the project in a step-by-step fashion, giving your team a clear roadmap forward. Use a Project Methodology to cut through politics and keep your project on track.
Improving your Project Meetings
Do you regularly have to attend Project Meetings?
Everyone dislikes meetings that drag on. So your job is to make it focused, highly driven and to add a sense of purpose. If you do this, then you'll boost team motivation and morale.
Here are 5 tips to help you...
Tip 1: Plan wisely
To make sure you get the most out of your meetings, you need to plan them wisely.
Go into each meeting with a specific purpose/goal, requiring a specific outcome/action!
Prior to each meeting, write down 3 goals that you want from the meeting. Here are some examples:
- "I want the team to know we're on track"
- "I want any issues or risks to be raised"
- "I want them to feel valued and motivated"
Then you need to work out how you're going to achieve your goals. The next few tips will help you with this...
Tip 2: Open and close carefully
Like in theatre, people most remember the opening and the closure the most. So open and close your meetings carefully. When you open the meeting, tell them what the purpose of the meeting is, what you want to get out of it and why it's important. This gets their attention and sets the scene. When you close the meeting, tell them what has been agreed/achieved in the meeting and the next steps going forward.
Tip 3: Control the conversation
You need to be in complete control of the meeting at all times, to ensure that:
- The meeting follows the agenda
- You never get stuck on a single issue
- One person doesn't dominate it
- Everyone has their say
Start by standing or sitting in a prominent place in the room. Raise your voice a little to add presence. Jump in frequently when people talk too long. Be polite but strong. Control the meeting as a coach would control a football team - by constantly watching, listening and directing the team. If possible, ask someone else to record the minutes. This gives you the time needed to control the conversation so that the agenda and your 3 goals are met.
Tip 4: Park it and move on
Often in meetings, a single issue can consume the majority of the meeting time. If the issue is not related to your specific meeting goals, then tell the team to "park it and move on". Record the issue on a whiteboard or paper and address it with the relevant team members separately after the meeting. This keeps your meetings short and focused.
Tip 5: Keep it action orientated
Projects are all about “getting things done”. So make sure that where possible, every discussion results in an action to be completed. Focusing on the actions that are needed is a great way of reducing the length of the meeting.
